Modular fireplace assembly

ABSTRACT

A modular fireplace burner assembly replacement method comprises providing a burner assembly positioned on a floor of a fireplace, turning off the gas source, decoupling a gas connection of the burner assembly from the gas source, removing the burner assembly from the fireplace, altering the burner assembly, positioning the burner assembly on floor of the fireplace, coupling the gas connection to the gas source, and turning on the gas source. The step of altering the burner assembly may include repairing the burner assembly or one or more subcomponents thereof, performing maintenance on the burner assembly or one or more subcomponents thereof, cleaning the burner assembly or one or more subcomponents thereof, or replacing the burner assembly or one or more subcomponents thereof.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 60/778,056 filed on Mar. 1, 2006,which the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to a fireplace, and in particular to amodular fireplace and methods of using the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

Fireplaces are often used to heat living spaces. Typically, fireplacescan be either wood-burning or gas-burning. Gas-burning fireplaces areadvantageous when compared to wood-burning fireplaces because theyprovide immediate heating, are convenient to light, and avoid problemsassociated with purchasing, handling, and storing wood logs. In agas-burning fireplace, one or more artificial, non-combustible logs thatresemble natural logs are often positioned atop a grate that is locatedon the floor of the fireplace. A burner connected to a gas source isoften located beneath the logs. When gas emitted from the burner isignited, the artificial logs and the resulting flames simulate theappearance of a wood-burning fireplace. The appearance of the artificiallog assembly can significantly impact the aesthetic characteristics ofthe flame produced by the burner and the overall “look” of thefireplace.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Installation of a gas-burning burner assembly in a fireplace is oftentoo complex for the average homeowner. Installation may require theskill of a professional. Additionally, a person installing a gas-burningburner assembly can encounter additional difficulties because the burnerassembly may comprise a variety of separate components that areassembled together. The burner assembly can comprise, for example, aburner for burning gas, a gas connection, a grate, a base, and one ormore artificial logs. The artificial logs can form an artificial logassembly that resembles a stack of wood logs. In some embodiments, thelogs are coupled together to form a unitary structure.

The difficulties posed by installation of a gas-burning burner assemblycan significantly diminish a user's ability to alter the aestheticcharacteristics of the fireplace by replacing the artificial logassembly. Also, similar difficulties are encountered when attempting toalter a component of the fireplace, such as the burner assembly, forpurposes of repair, maintenance, or replacement of a fireplacecomponent. As used herein, the term “repair” is a broad term andincludes, without limitation, restore, replace, refurbish, or otherwiseimprove the performance of the component. Moreover, when the component(e.g., the burner assembly) is removed from the fireplace during one ofthe aforementioned alterations, the complexity of installation precludessubstitution of the burner assembly. In other words, a user of thefireplace will not be able to use the fireplace during the alteration.

In one embodiment, a modular fireplace burner assembly replacementmethod comprises providing a burner assembly positioned on a floor of afireplace. Gas flow from the gas source is stopped. A gas connection ofthe burner assembly is decoupled from the gas source. The burnerassembly is removed from the fireplace. In some variations, the burnerassembly is altered by positioning the burner assembly on floor of thefireplace, coupling the gas connection to the gas source, and turning onthe gas source. In some variations, the method further comprisesrepairing the burner assembly or one or more subcomponents thereof,performing maintenance on the burner assembly or one or moresubcomponents thereof, cleaning the burner assembly or one or moresubcomponents thereof, and/or replacing the burner assembly or one ormore subcomponents thereof. As used herein, the term “subcomponents” isa broad term and includes, without limitation, a portion or component ofan entire assembly. For example, a subcomponent of the burner assemblycan be a burner, log (e.g., an artificial log or wood log), grate, base,etc.

In another embodiment, a modular fireplace burner assembly replacementmethod comprises providing a first burner assembly positioned on a floorof a fireplace. A gas connection of the first burner assembly isdecoupled from a gas source. The first burner assembly is removed fromthe fireplace.

In another embodiment, a modular fireplace includes a first burnerassembly positioned on a floor of a fireplace. The first burner assemblyis removed from the fireplace. A second burner assembly is then placedthe fireplace. In some variations, the first burner assembly is visuallydistinct from the second burner assembly.

In yet another embodiment, a method of altering a modular fireplacecomprises removing a first burner assembly from the fireplace. The firstburner assembly is configured to burn fuel when installed in thefireplace. After removing the first burner, second burner assembly isinstalled in the fireplace. Maintenance is performed on the first burnerassembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a fireplace with a burner assembly installedand coupled to a gas source.

FIG. 2A is a front view of a portion of the fireplace of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B is a front view of the fireplace of FIG. 2A after the burnerassembly has been removed from the fireplace.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the burner assembly as a log assembly isbeing removed from a grating.

FIG. 4A is a front view of the burner assembly after the log assemblyhas been removed.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the burner assembly with some of thelog assembly in place.

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the burner assembly with some of thelog assembly in place.

FIG. 4D is a perspective view of the burner assembly with a fullyassembled log assembly in place.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fireplace as the burner assembly isbeing positioned inside the fireplace.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the fireplace after the burner assemblyhas been placed inside the fireplace.

FIG. 7A shows a part of a gas connection that can be connected to thegas source.

FIG. 7B shows a part of the gas connection that can be connected to theburner of the burner assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 illustrates a modular fireplace assembly that can be used to burnfuel. The illustrated installed fireplace assembly 100 includes aremovable burner assembly 110. The fireplace assembly 100 can be used invarious settings, such as in residential dwellings, hotels, commercialsettings, indoors, outdoors, and the like. Fuel (e.g., gas such asnatural gas, wood, pellets, etc.) can be burned in the fireplaceassembly 100. The illustrated fireplace assembly 100 is a gas-burningfireplace dimensioned for use in a residence, and the burner assembly110 comprises a pile of logs. The burner assembly 110 can be removedfrom the fireplace assembly 100 to, e.g., alter the appearance of thefireplace, replace or repair the burner assembly, perform maintenance,and the like.

The burner assembly 110 is positioned on the floor of the fireplace 105and is in communication with a gas connection 120, which is coupled to agas source 115. In some embodiments, other types of fuel sources anddelivery constructions can be used. Gas from the fuel source 115 canflow through the gas connection 120 to the burner assembly 110 forcombustion.

As noted above, the burner assembly 110 can be removed from thefireplace assembly 100 to perform repairs, maintenance, or can bereplaced with another burner assembly 110 as noted above. To alter theoverall appearance of the fireplace assembly 100, the illustrated burnerassembly 110 can be replaced with another burner assembly that isvisually distinct from the illustrated burner assembly 110.

FIG. 2A shows the burner assembly 110 immediately prior to removal fromthe fireplace 100. The burner assembly 110 is positioned on the floor ofthe fireplace 105. Prior to removal of the burner assembly 110, the gassource 115 can be turned off. The gas connection 120 of the burnerassembly 110 can then be decoupled from the gas source 115. The burnerassembly 110 can be removed from the fireplace assembly 100, as shown inFIG. 2B. A base or bottom plate 113 can be attached to the burnerassembly 110. As such, the bottom plate 113 and burner assembly 110 canbe removed together. In some embodiments, the base or bottom plate 113can be provided separate from the burner assembly and/or can beseparately mounted. The bottom plate 113 can have connectors, fittings,or other structures for mating with gas lines or connectors of thefireplace. Another burner assembly can then be installed into the emptyfireplace. The installed burner assembly can be visually distinct fromthe burner assembly 110. Accordingly, the aesthetics of the fireplaceassembly 100 can be altered as desired.

FIG. 2B shows the burner assembly 110 after it has been removed from thefloor of the fireplace 105. In some embodiments, the bottom plate 113 ofthe fireplace 100 can remain in the fireplace 100 when the burnerassembly 110 is removed. After the illustrated gas source 115 has beenturned off and decoupled from the gas connection 120, the burnerassembly can be removed from the fireplace 100. If maintenance needs tobe preformed on the burner assembly 110 (e.g., if the burner assembly ismalfunctioning) the assembly 110 can be removed for an extended periodof time, such as one day, two days, four days, a week, multiple weeks,or one or more months. Another burner assembly 110 can be installed inthe fireplace 100 so that the fireplace can be utilized even though theoriginal burner assembly 110 has been removed.

In some embodiments, including the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, theburner assembly 110 comprises a burner 135, a holder or grate 130, a gasconnection 120, and a decorative element 125. The decorative element 125can be an artificial log assembly that preferably resembles naturallogs. The logs can resemble different types of wood, such as birch,pine, oak, walnut, driftwood, and the like. However, the decorativeelement 125 can have other designs and configurations that can bepositioned upon the grate 130 and burner 135, which can discharge fuelthat is burned. The burner assembly 110 can comprise various types offittings, connectors, valves, and piping. The size and configuration canbe selected based on the configuration of the gas feed system of thefireplace.

The illustrated burner 135 of FIG. 3 is configured to output fuel in theform of gas. An elongated conduit 136 extends along an elliptical pathand has a plurality of apertures 137 along its length. The illustratedelongated conduit 136 has a somewhat circular axial cross-section;however, the burner 135 can have other cross-sectional shapes andconfigurations.

Additionally or alternatively, the burner assembly 110 can comprise abase 140. The base 140 can have different types of designs andconfigurations. For example, the base 140 of FIG. 2B is a plate having apattern formed by bricks. The base 140 can also have other designs. Insome other embodiments, the base 140 contains an insulating material 145that can reduce or inhibit heat transfer through the base 140. In someembodiments, the entire burner assembly 110 can be removed by liftingthe base 140 from the floor of the fireplace 105, as shown in FIG. 2B.

A burner mounting structure 141 preferably couples the burner 135 to thebase 140 and forms at least a portion of the grate 130. The burnermounting structure 141 and the grate 130 cooperate to hold thedecorative element 125 resting thereon. The design and configuration ofthe mounting structures 141 can be selected based on the configurationof the burner 135.

In some embodiments, the illustrated decorative element 125 can bereplaced with a second log assembly (or other decorative element) so asto alter the overall aesthetic of the fireplace, as mentioned above.Substituting one decorative element for another not only alters thevisual appearance of the fireplace or burner assembly 110 but may alsoalter the visual appearance of the flames generated by the burnerassembly 110. Additionally or alternatively, the decorative element 125,gas connection 120, and/or burner 135 can be removed and replaced withdifferent components. In some embodiments, for example, these componentsare removed so that the fireplace can be used as a wood burningfireplace. Natural wood logs can be placed on the grate 130 positionedon the floor of the fireplace 105. Doing so can increase the versatilityof the fireplace 100, permitting it to be both gas-burning andwood-burning.

One or more components of the burner assembly 110 may be repaired orreplaced. In some embodiments, a first burner assembly 110 can beremoved and replaced with another burner assembly. The first burnerassembly 110 can be repaired at a different location, preferablyoff-site. The fireplace 100 can thus be used while maintenance is beingperformed on the first burner assembly 110.

FIG. 4A illustrates the grate 130 after the decorative element 125 andburner 135 have been removed. The grate 130 is positioned above thebottom plate 113, which preferably contains an insulative material 145.The insulative material 145 can be comprised of one or more heatresistant materials. The insulative material 145 can be vermiculite, amember of the phyllosilicate group of materials, or other insulatingmaterial. The insulative material 145 serves to insulate the bottomplate 113 of the burner assembly 110, the base 140 of the burnerassembly 110, and the floor of the fireplace 105 from the heat generatedby the burning fuel. In one embodiment, the bottom plate 113 does notcomprise insulating material. For example, the bottom plate 113 can be ametal plate without an insulating layer.

FIGS. 4B-4D illustrate one method of assembling the decorative element125. A first log 151 is placed upon the grate 130. A second log 152 isthen placed upon the grate 130, followed by a third log 153. A fourth154 and fifth log 155 subsequently are placed on top of the other logs,as shown in FIG. 4C. After logs 151, 152, 153, 154, 155 have been placedon top of the grate 130, the burner assembly 110 is ready to bepositioned on the floor of the fireplace 105. The decorative element 125can have any number of logs. Moreover, the placement of the logs can bealtered to change the appearance of the decorative element 125.

FIG. 5 illustrates the partially assembled burner assembly 110 beingpositioned onto the floor of the fireplace 105, and FIG. 6 shows thefireplace 100 after the fully assembled burner assembly 110 has beenpositioned on the floor of the fireplace 105. Once the burner assembly110 is positioned on the floor of the fireplace 105, the gas connection120 of the burner assembly 110 is coupled to the gas source 115. The gassource 115 is then turned ON to permit gas from the gas source 115 totravel to the burner 135 of the burner assembly 110 via the gasconnection 120. The gas connection 120 can comprise any number of gasconduits, regulators, valves (e.g., globe valves, check valves, etc.),and connectors.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate the gas connection 120 configured to providefluid communication between the gas source 115 and the burner 135. FIG.7A shows the portion of the gas connection 120 coupled to the gas source115, and FIG. 7B shows the portion of the gas connection 120 coupled toa regulator 122. In some embodiments, the regulator 122 permits a userto control the flow of gas to the burner 135.

The embodiments, features, systems, devices, materials, methods andtechniques described herein may, in some embodiments, be similar to anyone or more of the embodiments, features, systems, devices, materials,methods and techniques described in U.S. application Ser. No.10/793,325, filed on Mar. 4, 2004, which incorporated by reference inits entirety. In addition, the embodiments, features, systems, devices,materials, methods and techniques described herein may, in certainembodiments, be applied to or used in connection with any one or more ofthe embodiments, features, systems, devices, materials, methods andtechniques disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. application Ser. No.10/793,325. For example, the fireplace 100 described above can haveprefabricated brick panels.

The articles disclosed herein may be formed through any suitable means.The various methods and techniques described above provide a number ofways to carry out the invention. Of course, it is to be understood thatnot necessarily all objectives or advantages described may be achievedin accordance with any particular embodiment described herein. Thus, forexample, those skilled in the art will recognize that the methods may beperformed in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or groupof advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving otherobjectives or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

Furthermore, the skilled artisan will recognize the interchangeabilityof various features from different embodiments disclosed herein.Similarly, the various features and steps discussed above, as well asother known equivalents for each such feature or step, can be mixed andmatched by one of ordinary skill in this art to perform methods inaccordance with principles described herein. Additionally, the methodswhich are described and illustrated herein are not limited to the exactsequence of acts described, nor are they necessarily limited to thepractice of all of the acts set forth. Other sequences of events oracts, or less than all of the events, or simultaneous occurrence of theevents, may be utilized in practicing the embodiments of the invention.

Although the invention has been disclosed in the context of certainembodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in theart that the invention extends beyond the specifically disclosedembodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses and obviousmodifications and equivalents thereof. Accordingly, it is not intendedthat the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.

1. A modular fireplace burner assembly replacement method, the methodcomprising: providing a first modular burner assembly positioned withina fireplace, the first burner assembly configured to burn gas from a gassource; substantially stopping the flow of gas from the gas source tothe burner assembly; decoupling a gas connection of the first burnerassembly from the gas source; removing the first burner assembly fromthe fireplace; after the first burner assembly is removed from thefireplace, placing a second modular burner assembly in the fireplace andaltering the burner assembly, wherein altering the first burner assemblycomprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: repairingthe first burner assembly or one or more subcomponents thereof;performing maintenance on the first burner assembly or one or moresubcomponents thereof; cleaning the first burner assembly or one or moresubcomponents thereof; and replacing a subcomponent of the burnerassembly; after altering the burner assembly, placing the first burnerassembly back into the fireplace.
 2. The modular fireplace burnerassembly replacement method of claim 1, wherein the first burnerassembly comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of abottom plate dimensioned for placement within the fireplace, a holdinggrate, a decorative element generally resembling a stack of logs, and aburner that uses gas.
 3. A modular fireplace burner assembly replacementmethod, the method comprising: providing a first burner assemblypositioned within a fireplace; decoupling a gas connection of the firstburner assembly from a gas source; removing the first burner assemblyfrom the fireplace; and after removing the first burner assembly fromthe fireplace, placing a second burner assembly in the fireplace.
 4. Themodular fireplace burner assembly replacement method of claim 3, thefirst burner assembly comprising at least one of a base, a bottom plate,a grate, a decorative element, and a burner.
 5. The modular fireplaceburner assembly replacement method of claim 3, further comprising:removing the second burner assembly from the fireplace; positioning thefirst burner assembly back in the fireplace; and coupling the gas sourceto the gas connection such that the first burner is in communicationwith the gas source.
 6. The modular fireplace burner assemblyreplacement method of claim 3, further comprising performing maintenanceon the first burner assembly when the first burner assembly is removedfrom the fireplace.
 7. The modular fireplace burner assembly replacementmethod of claim 3, further comprising cleaning the first burner assemblywhen the first burner assembly is removed from the fireplace.
 8. Themodular fireplace replacement burner assembly method of claim 3, furthercomprising replacing a component of the first burner assembly withanother component when the first burner assembly is removed from thefireplace.
 9. The modular fireplace burner assembly replacement methodof claim 3, further comprising replacing a first decorative element ofthe first burner assembly with a second decorative element when thefirst burner assembly is removed from the fireplace.
 10. The modularfireplace burner assembly replacement method of claim 9, wherein thefirst decorative element is a unitary structure.
 11. The modularfireplace burner assembly replacement method of claim 9, wherein thefirst decorative element comprises a plurality of separate logs.
 12. Themodular fireplace burner assembly replacement method of claim 9, whereinthe second decorative element is a unitary structure.
 13. The modularfireplace burner assembly replacement method of claim 9, wherein thesecond decorative element comprises a plurality of separate logs.
 14. Amethod of altering a modular fireplace, the method comprising: removinga first burner assembly from the fireplace, the first burner assembly isconfigured to burn fuel when installed in the fireplace; after removingthe first burner assembly, installing a second burner assembly in thefireplace; and performing maintenance on the first burner assembly. 15.The method of claim 14, wherein the maintenance is performed on thefirst burner assembly while the second burner assembly is installed inthe fireplace.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first burnerassembly and second burner assembly are visually distinctive.
 17. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the second burner assembly is generally thesame size and the first burner assembly.
 18. The method of claim 14,wherein the first burner assembly is configured to output gas forcombustion.